Though farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of soil fertility are purely qualitative, they tended to match the scientific assessment of fertile or infertile soils. There were nevertheless some fundamental differences. Whereas scientific frameworks tend to be based on intrinsic soil characteristics that can be quantified independently of the context, the local approach integrates complex soil–plant–water relations and interactions in terms of factors such as soil colour, yield levels, growth rates and vigour, texture and workability, soils ability to hold water, presence of soil fauna, and weed indicators in the wider ecological context. Findings from the study have confirmed that there is sufficient overlap between farmers’ and researchers’ soil fertility knowledge for there to be useful dialogue as the basis for developing a sustainable approach to managing soil fertility. Scientific research and knowledge can provide the breadth of understanding of soil biophysical processes while farmers can provide the context-specific knowledge required to adapt this understanding to local biophysical and socio-economic conditions.